Random Thoughts

I have decided not to write necessarily about what happened today; I thought I would post some major perks to the trip. I seem to struggle to journal by hand, but this comes pretty natural to me, so here it goes. Over the last couple of days I have made lots of friends. I know in my last post I was a bit apprehensive towards the awkward stares and empty faces, but a lot has changed. For instance, on the 23rd the group split into pairs and did “field work” with social workers for the Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) program of AMPATH. (FYI: AMPATH stands for Academic Model for Providing Access To Healthcare now) I am probably repeating someone else’s blog entry, so I apologize. Anyways, Glennis and I walked in the country side of Eldoret called Kapsaret. Our social worker is named Evarline. She was very sweet and the pastor’s wife at the local church, so everyone knew her. It was very fun and comforting to have all the people on these back roads smiling and saying hello. They actually shake hands here more than anything, and Glennis and I learned the more respectful way of shaking hands because that was what the Kenyans were doing. We visited 4 people who were all single parents and just starting the OVC program. It was a great experience to just be so welcomed. The hospitality here is unimaginable back in the U.S. People who really are struggling to feed themselves are offering tea to strangers. Our last house was the best. We met up with two men on the street who happened to be our next visits.
The one who left the impact on me is named Joseph. To let you all know a little of his story. He lives on the boundary between Langus (sp?) and Kapsaret, which was hit very badly in the clashes last year, and his whole house was burned to ashes. Just before the clashes he lost one of his 5 brothers and sisters. And on top of all of that hardship Joseph is 27 and has run his household for the last 6 years when his mother abandoned the family. Everyone is in school, and Joseph walks two hours in the morning, every morning, to go to computer repair class in hopes of opening his own business. He walks every day back to his new house that was given to his family by a good friend after his first house burned down. Okay so that was a lot of his story, but it is so important because when we sat on his couch that did not have cushions in the living room that was all concrete where some of the children sleep on the floor, he told us he was happy. He has been through so much in his mere 27 years that he could complain about or quit on, and instead he is grateful for his life, house, family, education, and community. I cannot find words to explain the optimism and just the overall average common person mindset that is soooo very different from the United States. This is just one of my highlights. I thought I would write more about another experience, but I think I have written a lot already. I will fill you in another time.

I might not have connection to write again, so lots and lots of love to my family and Andrew. I think about you all a lot, and I am so thankful to have you all in my life.

I can’t believe it’s so close to over :(
Lara Kish